Robert Fisk and Jonathan Shackleton head up festival of travel writing in Waterford

Award-winning war correspondent and author Robert Fisk and explorer Jonathan Shackleton are among the highlights of the Immrama Festival of Travel Writing which takes place in Lismore in June.

Thu, 23 Apr, 2015 - 01:00

Conor Kane

This year is the 13th annual edition of the festival in the Waterford town and the programme, which was launched last night, includes a variety of speakers and events which should attract thousands to the area.

As well as Fisk and Shackleton, the schedule features an appearance by television presenter, travel writer, and actor Charley Boorman, best known for his motorcycle adventures with actor Ewan McGregor.

Mayor of Waterford James Tobin said at the launch last night that the festival has a track record “of attracting not only writers from all corners of the globe but visitors from all corners of the globe, proving to be a hugely valuable economic asset for Waterford”.

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Fisk has been the Middle East correspondent for The Independent for more than 20 years and, based in Beirut, holds more British and international journalism awards than any other foreign correspondent and has been voted British International Journalist of the year seven times. He is one of a few Western journalists to have interviewed Osama bin Laden, is the author of seven books, and the producer of a documentary series, From Beirut to Bosnia. He will take to the podium at the festival as a keynote speaker on Saturday, June 13, at 8pm.

Jonathan Shackleton is a cousin of the Kildare-born Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton. As a lecturer and guide, he has accompanied 21 groups to the Antarctic in the last 10 years. He will be speaking on Friday, June 12, about his expeditions through the same territory as Ernest Shackleton.